August 30, 2017 – Fourth episode of the short interview series with the influencers FinTechStage is bringing to BAI Beacon 2017 as part of our renewed strategic alliance.

This time around we are in conversation with Tatiana Moroz, Founder of Tatiana Coin and Crypto Media Hub. Tatiana Coin is the first ever musical artist coin. The coin is a unique digital currency built on top of Bitcoin.

What sparked your interest into Bitcoin or cryptocurrencies as a whole?

I have always been a person concerned with the organization of society, and I’ve been greatly influenced by music and literature in that pursuit. As a result, I strive to create a better world through my own music and activism. My love affair with Bitcoin was a strange one at first, since I was very averse to technology my whole life. So while I bought some, I admit I was still a bit confused by Bitcoin, like most people are. However, once I learned of its benefits to literally billions of people around the world, I knew that this was the future that could best empower us all, with the most respect for the individual liberty.

How did it go from being interested in it to founding Tatiana Coin?

I decided to write a Bitcoin Jingle once I realized the power of the technology and idealism behind it. I had been using my music around causes and ideas, and this confusing topic needed a song to make it fun, catchy, and accessible! This led to a conversation with friend and podcast maestro Adam B. Levine of Let’s Talk Bitcoin (also founder of the LTB network and LTB Coin). We agreed that art needed some solutions, and Tatiana Coin was born as the first ever artist crypto currency.

What is the premise of Tatiana Coin?

Adam and I had both seen problems firsthand in the monetization, funding, and community building for musicians. I had been managing major recording studios in NYC for years, in addition to recording several independent releases. The way I saw it, it was about fans and funding. How do artists make sure they can afford to make and promote their music, and how do they connect with their fans? How do they build their tribe?

While crowdfunding was popular for fundraising, it had limitations. The platform took a big cut, it was only during a fixed amount of time, and the prizes were generally standard swag with little transferability (IE the $50 T-shirt donation- but what if the shirt doesn’t look good? Well, you’re stuck with it). Social media was helpful, but what if you build an audience on Facebook, and then the terms and conditions change? Now you have to pay to access your own audience?

With crypto currencies, a lot of these problems started to disappear. Creating Tatiana Coin was the first step. We needed to create an infrastructure for these ecosystems to thrive, and thus Tokenly and soon Token.fm were born. It’s really exciting after 3 years of hard work, research, and development that the project has bloomed. I can finally help artists and fans engage in a meaningful way using tokens and blockchain, but not necessarily forcing them to know about crypto. People are connecting because they love music, and so naturally, an appreciation for the tech that brought them together will be celebrated organically.

What is your view around the hype of ICO’s?

In any new technology, there is an opportunity for snake oil selling. There have been sketchy projects in crypto forever! That doesn’t mean the innovation isn’t powerful and can’t be used for good. I think the community has been keeping an eye out, reporting, and the market is naturally policing itself, weeding out the losers, and making improvements over time. People already in the space know to be careful. However, newcomers don’t do the right amount of research and so are being a bit reckless when making these investments. This isn’t good for anyone, but it shouldn’t lead to a bad view of ICOs overall! They are so exciting as birthing grounds for new ideas and ways of interacting with people around the world! Basically, I think any investment has risk and reward. People should be very familiar with what they are doing when buying into ICOs, and also with the laws in their countries. There’s a lot of info out there if people take the time to look.

Has your interest in cryptocurrencies taken time away from your music?

Yes, but in the long run, these things all converge. I make music to create a sense of community and common purpose. I do the same with Bitcoin, Tatiana Coin, and all my other projects from marketing to events. Now is a time to shape a new world, and I am excited to help out in any way that I can be useful!

BIO:

American folk singer-songwriter, liberty activist, and peaceful revolutionary, Tatiana Moroz is pioneering creative autonomy and freedom as the creator of the artist cryptocurrency Tatiana Coin. Tatiana merges music with modern technology to encourage social awareness. She helps renew the power of songwriters to unite our communities. Her inspiring new album “Keep The Faith” was released in 2017.